So how to write about just over 2 months in Australia when I’ve already made it back to SE Asia? I’m so behind on this blog that if I try to keep any sense of chronology I’ll never catch up. I’m feeling the pressure as I sit down to write this, what to include? What not to include? What are the highlights, lowlights and must share items? I’ll just share my impressions then, and maybe a few short stories thrown in for good measure.

Darwin – I arrived here and was immediately shocked by the prices, the heat, the friendliness and the fatness of the people. It’s what I imagine small town America looks like, flat and dusty with fast food and tract housing clad in various shades of beige plastic siding.

I take a day tour and see wild crocodiles leap for chunks of meat offered on the end of very long stick.

We make a stop in the excruciating heat, and with thousands of flies torturing us, we visit a couple termite mounds near the entrance to Litchfield National Park. I’m not sure why we have to stop and see these particular ones as there are literally thousands of these mounds all over the landscape. Anyways here’s the mandatory picture of the one we stopped to see…

And here’s a few more….

We swim at a nice big pool beneath a waterfall that is probably much more spectacular in the wet season though still impressive.

The lake shore is surrounded by bush which on closer inspection has HUNDREDS of scary looking spiders lurking in their webs.

My dress is stolen as I swim so I am stuck in a damp swimsuit and sarong for the rest of the day. We finish up watching a sunset and chowing down on barbeque shrimp and champagne.